Field
The present disclosure relates to a reinforced rubber composition based on an elastomeric matrix comprising a highly saturated diene elastomer and also to a semi-finished article comprising such a composition and to a tire incorporating such a semi-finished article.
Description of Related Art
Since saving fuel and the need to protect the environment have become priorities, it is desirable to produce mixtures which have good wear resistance properties while having a hysteresis which is as low as possible, so as to be able to process them in the form of rubber compositions which can be used to manufacture various semi-finished products used in making a tire, such as for example treads, in order to obtain tires which have improved wear resistance without adversely affecting rolling resistance.
Ideally, for example, a tire tread must fulfil a great many technical requirements, which are often contradictory in nature, including increased wear resistance while still affording the tire low rolling resistance, and enhanced grip both on dry ground and on wet, snowy or icy ground.
It is known that to improve wear resistance a certain stiffness of the tread is desirable, which may be obtained for example by increasing the content of reinforcing filler or by incorporating certain reinforcing resins into the rubber compositions making up these treads.
Unfortunately, experience has shown that such stiffening of the tread adversely affects rolling resistance properties, in a known way and often prohibitively so, since it is accompanied by significantly increased hysteresis losses of the rubber composition. Consequently, improving stiffness performance while maintaining low rolling resistance is a constant concern for tire designers.
There is therefore a permanent need to provide a rubber composition which enables tires with improved wear resistance to be obtained without adversely affecting rolling resistance.
In light of the above, it is a general aim to provide rubber compositions which allow a compromise to be reached between the stiffness and hysteresis properties that is acceptable for use in tires.